


A Single Moment

by CeresJago



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Hurt/Comfort, I am terrible, I promise the story will have a happy ending, Slow Burn, Starts off happy but then gets a little angsty, but I have to write a little angst, it's not what you think at the beginning, most of the story is happy, poor Seven but things get better
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-12
Updated: 2018-12-11
Packaged: 2019-07-29 19:44:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 20,946
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16271063
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CeresJago/pseuds/CeresJago
Summary: Shore leave on the idyllic planet Taldora Prime seems like a home away from home for the Voyager crew, however things turn icy when Captain Janeway refuses to "take care of" the Cammiern - a renegade group terrorizing outworlders. Premier Briv'oin isn't happy, but Voyager leaves the Taldoran system with shortened shore leave as the only issue...or is it.Things aren't usually as they seem in the Delta Quadrant, and when something is going well, it's always best to be prepared for the worst - danger and tragedy. Now, it's up to the Captain to put things right once and for all, and she faces the biggest decision of her life - save herself or her crew.**I don't own Voyager or any form of Star Trek, though I certainly wish I did!**





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I love comments, hope you enjoy!

“You’ll have to do better than that Seven!” Janeway teased good naturedly as she easily returned fire on the flying disk, winning the fourth Velocity game in a row. 

Seven grumbled as she rose from the ground, where she had fallen trying to prevent Janeway from winning the game. Her hair had fallen out of its tight style and hung in lose tendrils around her shoulders. “It is not logical, Captain. I am faster and stronger than you, and yet I continually lose this inefficient game,”

“Come now Seven,” Janeway said grinning toothily at the scowl present on Seven’s normally impassive face, “No one likes a poor sport.” 

“I am not a ‘poor sport’ Captain, it is just illogical that you should continually beat me when I am far superior,” Seven said, regarding the Captain over the tip of her nose.

“Gee, thanks,” Janeway said rolling her eyes. “Come on, our time in the Holodeck is almost up and if you’re just going to grumble, we might as well brave Neelix’s stew surprise.”

“I am not grumbling!” Seven said indignantly as she dusted herself off, and squared her stance to start another game.

“You sure about that?” Janeway teased, mirroring Seven’s stance and smiling.

“Yes. Borg do not grumble,” Seven said definitively as she tightened her grip.

“I see. I’ll have to keep that in mind then. Computer, start program.”

Soon, all talking ceased and the only sounds that could be heard were that of the two women battling fiercely to win the game. Janeway smiled as she zipped around the Holodeck, easily defending her winning streak, until about midway through the game – Seven was gaining an upper hand. As the game progressed, and the score remained resolutely tied, the plays become more reckless as each of the women tried to score the winning point. Diving in between and around each other, clipped shoulders and tripping over each other’s feet occurred much more than usual. With a lunge, Janeway sent the disk flying, certain that she had defended an unbeaten winning streak, but Seven had anticipated her move, and dove firing at the disk.

“Oof,” the sound escaped Janeway as she crashed into the wall, Seven’s arm pressing into her diaphragm from where they had collided making it hard to breathe. Seven, lost in the moment of her triumph having successfully avoided being hit by the disk while simultaneously securing her winning point, seemed to take a minute to realize she had dove into the Captain and had pushed her into the wall of the Holodeck. Looking down at her arm which was pressed firmly against the Captain, and slowly up into the Captain’s eyes, her breath caught for a second by what she saw there.

“Seven?” Janeway asked for a moment once she could speak, still having been trapped in place by Seven’s Borg arm.

“I…” Seven began, uncharacteristically lost for words.

Janeway frowned in concern. Seven still had her pinned against the wall, though she seemed not to realize it – something quite uncharacteristic for the usually meticulous and aware former drone, and Janeway started to worry. She placed one of her hands against Seven’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”

Janeway’s touch seemed to electrify Seven, as she moved quickly back from pinning Janeway who promptly fell away from the wall breathing in deeply. “Apologies if I hurt you Captain.” Seven said moving to stand with her hands clasped firmly behind her back. “I was preoccupied with the points, I did not mean to trap you against the wall.”

“You didn’t trap me Seven,” Janeway said blushing slightly, “And I’m not hurt.” She glanced at Seven again. “Are you sure you’re alright? You seemed lost in thought for a moment there.”

Seven blushed, much to Janeway’s surprise. “I am functioning within normal parameters. As I said, I became too focused on the points.”

Janeway eyed her skeptically, but decided to let it slide. She was sure to find out what was really going on one way or another. Shaking her head slightly, she began walking to the Holodeck doors. “Coming Seven?” She called behind her.

Seven walked in step with the Captain out of the Holodeck, and conversation flowed easily – the earlier awkwardness having dissipated as they made their way down the corridors of Voyager. 

“What do you say Seven, are you willing to brave Neelix’s stew surprise?” Janeway asked cheerfully as they approached the mess hall.

Seven shifted somewhat uncomfortably, so minute was her movement that it would have been missed, had Janeway not known her so well. “Unfortunately Captain, I have matters I must attend to in Astrometrics. Perhaps another time.”

“Oh. Alright then,” Janeway said, quickly hiding her disappointment. She placed a hand on Seven’s shoulder and squeezed slightly. “I hope everything goes well in Astrometrics. Let me know if you want to brave a Neelix original in the future,” she said with a small smile. Turning away, she began walking down the corridor to the mess hall, and Seven towards Astrometrics. Somehow leaving both women feeling disappointed.

Janeway made her way down the corridor, past the mess hall deciding to instead eat in her quarters after a shower. As she walked her hand absentmindedly ghosted over her middle – where Seven’s touch somehow seemed to linger. Making her way into her quarters, Janeway turned the water on in her shower, a perk of being the Captain, and soon the bathroom was filled with steam – the hot mist washing over her frame and fogging up her mirror. Stepping into the hot shower she let the aches from the stress of the week, and the soreness from the Velocity match melt away to a manageable level. As a Captain, the tension in her body never disappeared completely, but it was a price she was willing to pay.

Turning the water off and wrapping a thick, white towel around her, Janeway stood in front of her mirror and swiped away a layer of condensation. She squinted slightly at her reflection for a moment and then sighed. It was no use, she could not escape what she already knew, and the Velocity match today with Seven had shown her that. Her…regard for Seven was a strong and unwavering throb in her heart, that made her eyes soften just to think about it – to think of her. She knew that the Borg woman held her heart – her loyalty, although she would never speak…could never speak the words out loud. However painful, the silencing of her own admission she could live with, just to be able to see Seven, to touch her shoulder, to work next to her. A soft smile spread across her face as she thought about the Borg woman, but then turned into a frown. Something had happened during the Velocity match earlier in the day – something to make Seven uncomfortable, but she could not place it. 

Sighing again, Janeway dropped her gaze and began preparing for her shift on the Bridge, knowing that with some gentle prodding she could get to the bottom of whatever was bothering Seven. She just hoped she could figure it out quickly – she did so enjoy meeting Seven for lunch after a Velocity match. Dressed and grabbing a cup of coffee on her way out the door, Janeway made her way to the bridge. 

Hours after the duty shift ended, Seven remained working resolutely at her station is Astrometrics. She had received a message from the Captain earlier in the day, telling her to search for a planet suitable for shore leave. The crew had been traveling through space for some time, and not only did Voyager need the be refueled, but the crew needed a break. Seven had spent the majority of her duty shift carefully combing through the upcoming regions of space to find a suitable location, and had found five potential planets – each class M and not far off of Voyager’s course through the stars. The ultimate decision would come down to the command crew, but she was satisfied with her work. She remained in Astrometrics, not for the task the Captain had left her, but because of the Captain herself.

Work had always been the balm for Seven’s confused mind.

Adding enhancements to the sensor array was a mindless activity for the former Borg drone – one which left her plenty of time to be alone with her thoughts. Thoughts that seemed to be stubbornly stuck on the small red haired woman who commanded the ship. Seven rolled her shoulders imperceptibly, and continued modifying the sensor array – thoughts of the Velocity match running through her mind as if on repeat. 

She had dove out of the way, and the feel of her arm pressing against the Captain, holding her in place against the wall as the both breathed hard with the exertions of the match…She did not know what to think, did not know how to conceptualize her feelings. All she knew was that, in the moment she looked into the Captain’s eyes, it was as if she had seen them for the first time. The normally piercing blue gray eyes were furrowed in concern as Seven had stared into them, and Seven had had the strangest sensation that the Captain could read through to her soul. Pressing Janeway against the wall, looking deep into her eyes, Seven had had the strangest desire to lean in and…

Seven gripped the tricorder tightly, effectively stopping the memory, attempting to push her confusing thoughts and feelings to the back of her mind. She made a minor adjustment to her modification, and glanced at the read out, satisfied with her progress.

She did feel a pang of guilt as she remembered the look of disappointment on the Captain’s face when she had declined her invitation for a shared meal. The look had disappeared so quick, that if Seven did not know the Captain so well, she would have missed it. Perhaps she could make it up to the Captain some time, she mused silently packing up her equipment and preparing for a regeneration cycle. Perhaps she would make it up during shore leave.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In the aftermath of the Velocity game, overthinking a simple touch - a simple word, abounds. B'elanna is helpful, and shore leave is decided for the crew.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all are great! Hope you like the second chapter - let me know what you think!

It had been two days since Seven had found five potential planets for shore leave, and in that time Janeway and Chakotay, along with the use of Neelix as an ambassador, they had finally settled on a planet – Taldora Prime.

Janeway sat in her command chair looking at the sparkling blue and green of the planet on the viewscreen. It wasn’t really a choice, she mused silently, looking at the list Seven had compiled – Taldora Prime was the most similar out of the five to Earth.

“It does really look like home,” Chakotay said looking at the viewscreen and interrupting the Captain’s thoughts.

“It does. I’ll admit, I’m a little surprised at the resemblance, it’s almost uncanny,” Janeway replied looking towards Chakotay with a smile. “It will be good for the crew to have a break from it all.”

“It will be good for you too, Captain,” Chakotay said knowingly, but offered her a sincere smile.

Janeway rolled her eyes, but smiled back good naturedly and returned her attention to the viewscreen. They were waiting for confirmation from the Premier of Taldora Prime before they set into orbit. Although Neelix had secured passage, he had informed her that it was the Taldoran’s custom to welcome each new ship before allowing them to enter orbit. As if on cue, she heard Harry from behind her.

“Incoming hail, Captain.”

“Put it on-screen Harry,” Janeway said, smiling at the ensign.

The image of the beautiful planet faded out of sight revealing a face of a rather regal woman. She was seated on a presidential looking throne and smiled widely once she saw the captain.

“Captain Janeway,” she exclaimed warmly, “Welcome to Tadora Prime. I am Premier Briv’oin. We have been in contact with your Ambassador Neelix, and are excited to share our planet with you.”

Janeway smiled at the image of the Premier on the viewscreen, and rose to address her. “Premier Briv’oin, thank you for your welcome. As you already know, I am Captain Janeway, and this,” she gestured at Chakotay who had come to stand at her side. “Is Commander Chakotay, my first officer.”

The Premier nodded in greeting towards Chakotay, who inclined his head in return. 

“Your Ambassador has informed us of your needs and desire for shore leave,” Premier Briv’oin continued, turning to address Janeway again as she spoke. “It is our greatest pleasure to share our planet with those who come to visit, and detailed information about our rest and relaxation locations will be provided to your Ambassador.”

Janeway nodded gratefully, and the Premier continued to speak. “I hope to be able to speak with you at some point during your stay on Taldora Prime, Captain, if you would be willing. I am interested to hear more about your travels and your…experiences traversing the Delta Quadrant.”

“Certainly, I’d be willing,” Janeway replied though she couldn’t shake a strange feeling. Although Neelix had assured her earlier that the Taldorans were a peaceful people, she had a feeling that they might be looking for something in exchange for offering shore leave.

“Excellent!” Premier Briv’oin exclaimed, “I will send the necessary docking information to your Ambassador and will contact you, Captain, sometime during your stay.”

“I look forward to it,” Janeway replied with a diplomatic smile, and signaled to Tuvok to end the transmission. When the image of the Premier faded from the screen to be replaced by the image of the planet, she turned to look at Chakotay.

“Thoughts?” she asked, moving to sit in her command chair.

“She seems genuine enough, and based on what Neelix said and this interaction, the Taldorans seem peaceful and eager to help.”

“But?” Janeway pressed.

“But there seems to be something she’s not saying. I would advise against going to that meeting alone, Captain,” Chakotay finished.

“You noticed that too?” Janeway asked, leaning back in her command chair with a sigh. “I don’t think that the crew is in any danger…” Chakotay shook his head at her statement. “But I do think there is something she’s not saying – either something she wants from Voyager, or something she’s not telling us about the planet.”

Chakotay quirked his lips into a smile. “I guess there’s only one way to find out.”

The two settled into companionable silence as the information from Taldora Prime was transferred over to Voyager, and the ship moved into orbit. 

“Chakotay,” Janeway said, pulling him from his thoughts. “Create a shore leave roster for the departments. We should have enough personnel on the ship to keep it running at all times, but rotate them so that everyone gets a couple of days off.”

Chakotay nodded, and smiled knowingly at Janeway. “Does that include the Captain?”

Janeway rolled her eyes, but nodded anyway. “I guess I’ll have to take some time off. The Premier wants to speak with me, and I can already hear The Doctor I refuse shore leave all together,” she said with a shudder.

Chakotay grimaced sympathetically. 

“But now that you mention it,” Janeway continued, “There were some nice beaches I had my eye on – it has been years since I set foot on actual sand, not just holographic representations.”

The two were lost in thought for a moment – each remembering a time that seemed so far away, and yet, as if it were only yesterday. Roused from their thoughts by the excited chatter of the crew planning their shore leave ( _“Harry, the pamphlet said it had the nicest… ‘hotels’ on their planet. I couldn’t go, obviously, B’elanna would have a fit, but you could…and, you know, report back.”_ ), Janeway and Chakotay snickered quietly and returned back to work. 

Soon, the end of the duty shift was in sight. Chakotay had created the rosters for shore leave, ensuring Janeway that every crew member was granted at least three consecutive days off, and Tuvok had gathered the information sent to Neelix by the Premier about suitable sites for transport. The engineering team would be last to take their shore leave, as they had the arduous task of refueling and making the few repairs aboard Voyager while they were stopped – but, they were granted four consecutive days off as compensation.

Needing a reason to stretch her legs, Janeway decided to deliver the news to the engineering team in person. Leaving the bridge in Chakotay’s capable hands, she headed out into the turbolift and down to engineering. 

When she arrived, engineering was not the chaos it sometimes was when she entered, but the crew was still hard at work. Crew members worked on basic repairs around the station, and B’elanna and Seven of Nine were huddled in front of a schematic of the warp core. Janeway’s heart clenched at the sight of Seven talking with B’elanna, the way her fingers gracefully traced the schematic and the way her brow furrowed in concentration. Janeway’s smile softened as she approached the two women.

“Sorry to interrupt ladies, but I have some information for you about shore leave,” Janeway said, causing B’elanna to whirl around.

“Captain! I didn’t hear you come in,” B’elanna said somewhat flustered, as Seven turned to look at the Captain and acknowledged her presence with a nod.

Janeway waved her concerns away. “I have good and bad news about shore leave for you,” she said to the half Klingon woman, who had come to stand at attention.

“The bad news is that engineering teams will be last for shore leave, as I need you to refuel the ship and make the necessary repairs, the good news is that you’ll all get four consecutive days off as compensation.”

Janeway had to admit, B’elanna took the news better than she thought she would, and smiled at her chief engineer. “I know it isn’t ideal, but I can’t entrust this task to anyone else.”

With B’elanna’s nod of understanding, Janeway turned to leave engineering but was suddenly struck by an impulse. Turning back around, she laid a hand on Seven’s shoulder and offered a slight squeeze.

“I hope I can convince you to accompany me on shore leave – at least for one day. I know you have other things to be working on, but…it might be nice for a ‘rematch’ of our lunch date,” Janeway said with a soft smile. “I’ll send you the information, and you can decide if you’ll come.” Letting her hand trail slightly down Seven’s arm before letting it go, Janeway walked out of engineering and headed back to her quarters.

As the retreating form of the Captain disappeared behind the soft swoosh of the engineering bay doors, B’elanna let out a low whistle. “Um…Seven, something you want to tell me?”

Seven had suddenly found the schematics very interesting, and B’elanna was sure she was trying to ignore her. As she prepared to probe Seven again, Seven responded. “No, there is nothing I want to tell you.”

B’elana looked skeptical. “You sure about that?” She asked, eyeing the former Borg drone in disbelief.

“No,” Seven said with a soft sigh and turned to look at B’elanna.

“So…you had a date with the Captain?” she asked somewhat incredulously. 

“No, I did not. I believe the Captain employed a common figure of speech to reference the fact that I turned down her invitation to join her for lunch in the mess hall after our Velocity match earlier this week,” Seven said somewhat abruptly. “We were not on a ‘date’ nor has the Captain ever asked me on one.”

B’elanna looked at Seven for a moment, as if seeing her for the first time, and Seven shifted somewhat uncomfortably under B’elanna’s gaze.

“But you want her to ask you on one,” B’elanna said, almost in awe.

Seven paused for a moment before answering, and it was all the confirmation B’elanna needed. Sensing Seven’s discomfort, B’elanna held up a hand to put Seven out of her misery.

“Look,” B’elanna said, running a hand through her hair. “I’m not saying you feel this way or you don’t, but between you and me, I think we both know what you really want, and if you’re willing to go for it, I think the Captain might be willing too.”

Seven looked like she wanted to argue, but something made her think better of it. The rest of the duty shift past in silence – each woman left to their own thoughts about the upcoming shore leave. 

On the other end of the ship, the Captain returned to her quarters. As she walked through the doors, she realized with a moment of panic what she had actually said to Seven in engineering. Throwing her command jacket on a chair in her living space and moving to replicate a coffee, she groaned loudly. How could she have been so stupid? A rematch of their _lunch date?_ At the time, she had thought nothing of it – the phrase slipping easily from her lips, but now…now the damage was done.

She grabbed her coffee and sank down into her favorite chair – dark thoughts about destroying the relationship she had with Seven permeating her mind. She sipped her coffee, scalding her tongue in the process, and then sat up abruptly. Since when had she started thinking of their weekly Velocity matches followed by lunch as a sort of…dare she say it? 

She decided she didn’t dare – and gulped down the rest of her coffee, burning her throat in the process. Angrily, she punched in the replicator code for her pajamas, and after preparing for the night, she crawled into bed still grumbling.

She knew that sleep would be almost impossible, as she lay overwhelmed by her thoughts, but what she didn’t know was that sleep evaded another aboard Voyager, another whose thoughts were consumed by a certain red haired captain.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Shore leave and a hint of something...unsettling.
> 
> Also, just want to leave a shout out for the J/7 fanvid created by iiinicka. It's called ♡ Cliff's Edge ♡ J/7 ♡ MV and is honestly one of the best J/7 videos I've ever seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all enjoy! Thoughts and comments are appreciated!

With the crew rotations scheduled, shore leave began seamlessly. Excited chatter could be heard throughout Voyager, and even onto the planet as the crew got a chance to stretch their legs for the first time in months. Premier Briv’oin had contacted the Captain, and the meeting between the two respective leaders was scheduled for the last day of Janeway’s leave. Taking his earlier advice, Janeway had decided that both Chakotay and Tuvok would accompany her to the meeting – less as a protective force and more as an information gathering entourage.

The crew immediately fell in love with Taldora Prime. Not only was the planet itself a beautiful reminder of Earth, but the Taldorans were the picture of friendliness and openness. Each crew member was welcomed with open arms and invited to experience all that Taldora Prime had to offer – the pristine beaches, the contemplative mediation corners, the shopping centers, the arenas, and more. It seemed as if there was something that on Taldora Prime that everyone could enjoy.

Even a certain blonde Drone. 

Caught up in preparations for the crew shore leave, Janeway had almost forgotten to plan her own time away from the ship. The beaches she had mentioned to Chakotay certainly caught her eye, and she smiled contentedly at the thought of being able to dip her toes in the water and walk across the sand. She missed the feel of the sun on her face and the wind through her hair – the Holodeck was just not the same. Several of the locals looked interesting too, the Captain thought, as she perused through the list of attractions from the list provided by the Taldorans. Perhaps she would look in on some of the shops and see if anything caught her eye.

Her beam down time was in an hour – just enough time to pack up and prepare for a day at the beach. As she packed a small pack with a towel and a pic-nic basket, she sent a quick message to Seven, inviting her to join her at the beach for the day. During the night she had convinced herself that her invitation meant nothing out of the ordinary – and that she was allowed to have _friends_ aboard Voyager. If she had asked Tuvok to accompany her, she wouldn’t have felt weird, so there was no reason she should feel butterflies for asking Seven.

Nodding as if she had settled the issue, she changed out of her uniform, opting instead for a pair of loose, floral capris, a black, short-sleeve, turtle neck top, and sandals. As she pinned her short hair back, she heard a ping from the padd on her beside table. Glancing at it, she saw that Seven had agreed to meet her for shore leave at the specified coordinates. She picked up the padd and stared at it, her heart fluttering slightly. It was ridiculous, she thought, she was just spending time with a friend, but she couldn’t completely silence her heart. With a smile she grabbed her pack and walked out of her quarters – there were some items she needed to get before meeting Seven at the beach.

Back in Astrometrics, Seven stared at the message blinking cheekily at her on the padd.

_‘If you’re not otherwise engaged, I thought you could join me at the beach this afternoon…’_

Seven did not know what to wear to the beach, nor did she understand the pounding of her heart as she read the beginning of the message over and over. Remembering the look of disappointment that had passed over the Captain’s face when she had previously declined her invitation, Seven sent back an affirmative – she did not want to be the cause of that expression again. She finished logging in her work, and replicated an outfit she hoped was acceptable for the beach – a flowing blue dress and sandals. After she had changed, she made her way down to the transporter room, nervous but excited to meet the Captain.

As the Captain emerged amidst the glittering lights of the transporter beam, she smiled and inhaled deeply. The breeze lazily carried the scent of the salty sea air, and vendors a little down the boardwalk sold the most colorful of clothes, and the most delicious smelling food. Janeway made her way over to the beach, she could see Tom and B’elanna over by the stalls. Tom laughed at something B’elanna said, and then lead in for a quick kiss that left B’elanna swatting his shoulder, but smiling nonetheless. 

The Captain smiled to herself at the sight, but the pang in her heart seemed to grow. She wasn’t sure she could ever have that as the Captain, nor was she sure that the object of her affection would even want…

No. She shook her head clearing her thoughts. It was no use getting melancholy during her leave. This was a chance for her to be happy, to relax. She had plenty of time aboard Voyager for brooding. Coming up to a somewhat secluded spot, Janeway laid down the towel she brought along. The beach was close enough to the boardwalk that the faint sounds of chatter could be heard and the breeze carried the tantalizing smells from the vendors, but far enough away so not as to be disturbed by foot traffic of the crowds of people – Taldorans and Voyager crew alike, who were making the most of such a beautiful day. The beach was a vast one, with glittering sand that met the clear blue water, and there was enough space so that even the relatively large amount of people enjoying the day was not overwhelming. Janeway had picked a spot far enough away from others on the beach where conversation would not be interrupted, but close enough that it was still ‘proper’ should any of the Voyager crew walk past.

Janeway carefully set out the food and drink she had brought – fruits and vegetables, bite sized sandwiches, chocolate, and a chilled glass of lemonade, and looked down the beach. She could see little Naomi Wildman darting into the water and back out again, carrying sea shells and pretty stones to where her mother and Neelix sat on the beach. Janeway smiled tenderly at the little girl, happy that she should have a chance to experience the pleasure and peace the ocean could bring.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Seven materialize into thin air, and was taken aback by the sight before her. Seven had tied a small scarf around her tight hairstyle, and the dress she wore rustled gracefully with the sea breeze. Janeway had always thought Seven looked beautiful, though she never got much of a chance to acknowledge it. 

Seven quirked her lips into a small smile as she approached the Captain, and Janeway’s heart leapt at the sight.

“Seven,” she exclaimed warmly, “I’m glad you decided to join me.” She smiled as Seven sat down next to her on the beach towel. “I’m not much of a cook, though I think I can safely say what I’ve brought might be more appetizing than Neelix’s stew surprise.” Her statement was greeted by a small smirk from Seven.

“Lemonade?” Janeway asked, already pouring a glass for each of them.

“Thank you, Captain,” Seven said, taking the glass gingerly from Janeway, and bringing the liquid slowly to her lips.

“What do you think?” Janeway asked after Seven had taken a sip.

“It is…interesting, although, not all together unpleasant.”

“Good,” Janeway said with a smile. “My mother used to always bring lemonade with us whenever she took my sister and I to the beach. It became almost a tradition every summer…” Janeway trailed off for a moment, lost in thought. 

“Do you miss the beach back home?” Seven asked, shaking the Captain from her thoughts.

“Oh yes, though the one back home is smaller than this one…and it’s a lake not an ocean. Someday I’ll take you there,” Janeway said, turning to look at Seven with a slight blush on her face.

“I should like that,” Seven replied, looking somewhat shyly at the Captain over the rim of her glass of lemonade.

Janeway smiled lovingly at Seven, and the two women passed the time chatting companionably, discussing everything from ships business to more philosophical discussions. Teasing and smiling, the afternoon passed pleasantly for the two of them. 

All too soon, their afternoon of shore leave turned into evening, with the sun setting over the ocean casting a brilliant sunset over the water.

“Seven, look,” Janeway said, pointing at the sunset, shoes rich colors spilled out over the horizon, tinting the water as the sun lazily began its decent into night. 

“It is beautiful, Captain,” Seven said, and Janeway turned to look at the former Drone, whose eyes reflected the shimmering light from the sun and the ocean.

“Yes,” Janeway said, looking at Seven’s profile. “It is.”

Seven turned to look at Janeway, though if she caught her staring, she did not say anything. Smiling at her Captain, she stood and held out a hand to help Janeway up.

Taking her Borg hand, Janeway felt herself being pulled up effortlessly by the former Drone, and found herself pulled close to Seven – hands clasped between them. Janeway’s breath seemed to catch at their proximity – she was so close to Seven that if she leaned in only slightly…Looking up, she was lost in Seven’s eyes – seeing something she couldn’t quite place. 

It was if a spell had been cast over the women – drowning out the sounds of the vendors and chatter from the visitors. The only thing each of the women were aware of was the sound of the ocean and each other’s breathing.

Seven looked down at the Captain intently, lost in the steel blue eyes that could convey a thousand emotions. She looked down into the face of the Captain, whose cheeks were tinged a pleasant pink, far surpassing the beauty of the sunset. She leaned in ever so slightly, but something made her pause. Changing her trajectory, she spoke almost into the Captain’s ear.

“Thank you for inviting me, Captain,” she said in a low voice, pulling back slightly to smile at the Captain. “I shall help you pack up,” she said, releasing the Captain’s hand, and turning to fold the beach towel – and effectively breaking the spell held over the two women.

Janeway was left stunned – standing rooted to the spot for a moment. Her skin tingled and she felt her heart beating a mile a minute. Just a moment ago, the energy around them seemed electric, and here Seven was, folding the beach towel with only a slight blush to indicate anything had happened. Janeway felt like gasping out, but her command training luckily saved her. Somehow she was able to get the shakiness she felt under control, enough to respond to Seven. 

“I – it was nothing, Seven, I wanted to spend the time with you,” she said, picking up the basket, and looking into Seven’s eyes.

Seven smiled in her Borg fashion, and Janeway could tell she was pleased with her statement. Placing a hand gently against the small of Seven’s back, she turned towards the beam out coordinates.

“Come on,” she said, dropping her hand. “Let’s get back to the ship.”

The two women walked companionably towards the beam out coordinates, and soon found themselves aboard Voyager. As they parted ways for the night, Janeway couldn’t help but allow herself a glimmer of hope as she watched the retreating figure of Seven of Nine walk down the hall.

The next day, Janeway woke early to prepare for her meeting with Premier Briv’oin. She, Chakotay, and Tuvok were to beam down at 0800 hours precisely to discuss something she was as of yet privy too.

Janeway stretched out in bed and looked at her chronometer 0600 – she had plenty of time to take a leisurely morning to get ready. Closing her eyes for a moment, she replayed her time yesterday with Seven, talking and laughing with her, seeing the sunset reflected off of her eyes, and the almost…almost something that had happened right before they parted ways for the night. She curled her toes in happiness – she felt a like a schoolgirl with their first crush. She hadn’t felt this way since…since meeting Mark. The thought of her ex-fiancé didn’t bring with it the stab of pain in once did. Now, she remembered the time they had together fondly, but with Seven consuming her thoughts – there was no time to feel empty.

Rolling out of bed, she dressed for the day and replicated a cup of pipping hot coffee. At 0750, she met Chakotay and Tuvok in the transporter room.

“Morning gentlemen,” she said as Chakotay and Tuvok appeared by her side.

Greetings were exchanged, and she signaled to the transporter chief to beam them down to the planet. Rematerializing in front of the High Council, Janeway turned to look at her officers and trusted friends. “Shall we?”

The three entered the chamber. The night before, after the Captain had returned from her shore leave, they had met to discuss and plan for the meeting. Tuvok had brought some rather concerning information to light. Apparently, some of the Voyager crew had returned to the ship reporting of encounters with a fringe political group – one who had a xenophobic agenda where they wished to prevent outsiders from Taldora Prime. The three had concluded the meeting with a strong indication that it was this issue that the Premier wished to speak to them about.

Entering the chamber to the High Council, they wouldn’t need to wait long for an answer.

Premier Briv’oin strode down the chamber, a black cape fluttering behind her.

“Captain,” she exclaimed opening her arms in welcome, “I’m glad you spare the time to meet with me,” she said with a smile, glancing at Chakotay and Tuvok.

“Of course,” Janeway said, then gestured to the two men beside her. “You remember my First Officer, Commander Chakotay and my Chief of Security, Lieutenant Commander Tuvok?”

Premier Briv’oin nodded in acknowledgement to each of the officers and then turned back to the Captain. “If you’ll follow me.”

She lead the trio down a winding corridor to what appeared to be a large conference room. Two armed guards stood in position near the door, and the table had a crystal pitcher filled with a sparkling liquid, surrounded by goblets. Indicating for the trio to sit, the Premier called forth a servant who served the drinks.

“Jil’el, it’s a delicacy here on Tandora Prime, made from the nectar from the Jil flower and preserved following a recipe that’s hundreds of years old.”

Janeway raised her glass in thanks and took a small sip of the liquid. It was flavorful on her tongue – a sweet taste that was very refreshing. After pleasantries had been spoken, the Premier looked at the Captain thoughtfully.

“There is…” the Premier paused for a moment. “…A matter of some importance which I wish to discuss with you Captain,” she said tracing the rim around her glass.

Janeway looked at the Premier expectantly.

“By now, I’m sure your security officer has heard of the Cammiern,” she said looking towards Tuvok who nodded in confirmation. “But what you know is not enough. They are a band of extreme nationals, and they give a bad name to the rest of the Taldorans. My own Chief of Security has informed me that several of your crew has had run-ins with them. My apologies,” she said looking genuinely saddened.

Janeway nodded in appreciation, and Premier Briv’oin continued speaking. “The Cammiern are gaining power – winning positions in local elections, and making it more difficult to curb their growing position. They are a dangerous bunch, Captain. They want to purge anyone who is not Taldoran from our world – and even our space – to steal their resources. In effect, to dismantle their existence,” she paused and looked at the grim expressions of the members from Voyager.

“Their hateful message is dangerous, Captain, and they gain followers daily. While they do not have the followers to overthrow our own government…they do have the power to start causing doubt about the way we currently govern Taldora Prime – and have governed Taldora Prime for centuries,” she said looking at Janeway expectantly.

Brow furrowed in confusion, Janeway traded a quick glance with Chakotay and Tuvok – both of whom communicated the same confusion back to their Captain.

“I apologize, but I do not understand what you’re asking,” Janeway said slowly.

The Premier sighed and splayed her fingers against the table. “This is…delicate, Captain and I hope that you can understand the position I am coming from. You have spent time here – you know what Taldora Prime has to offer.”

“And?” Janeway prodded gently.

“And yet we are struggling Captain. We cannot…handle this situation in the means that is necessary, Captain. These ideas, and those spreading them must be extinguished. Xenophobia has no place on Taldora Prime. However…however we cannot address the situation alone. We were hoping with your ship's…technology, and your past experiences traversing the Delta Quadrant…you might be able to intervene where we cannot, and…extinguish this threat,” she finished, looking at the Captain, urging her to accept her position.

“I don’t…” Janeway began, with a moment of confusion, before narrowing her eyes slightly. “You want us to destroy the Cammiern for you?”

“Although not the words I would use, that is in effect, the course of action I am hoping you’ll take,” Premier Briv’oin said diplomatically.

“I’m sorry,” she said, seeing Chakotay’s nearly imperceptible nod of approval out of the corner of her eye. “But we won’t be able to help you. We cannot interfere with the cultures of other peoples – it is one of our highest laws,” Janeway said rising, Chakotay and Tuvok joining her on either side.

“I had hoped once you saw all that Taldora Prime has to offer, your mind could be persuaded,” Premier Briv’oin said coldly. “But I guess I was wrong. Commander Yar’rok will show you out.”

Nodding at the Premier, but unable to shake an uneasy feeling, the Captain followed the Commander to the beam out coordinates where the arrived aboard Voyager.

“You aren’t having second thoughts, are you Captain?” Chakotay asked as he watched the Captain step off the platform in the transporter room.

“No, no,” she said shaking her head. “I just have a bad feeling about this. Make sure all personnel have returned safely from Voyager, and then we’ll leave orbit. Something tells me that staying here longer may not be a good idea. I’ll see you on the bridge.” And with her statement she walked out the doors of the transporter room.

Chakotay turned to look at Tuvok. “I’ll make sure everyone is back aboard Voyager, and perhaps it would be a good idea to do some security scans just in case,” he said walking out of the transporter room with Tuvok at his side.

“Of course, Commander, it is a logical precaution. Although I do not understand that Captain’s…intuition for situations such as these, I cannot deny that it is often correct.”


	4. Chapter 4

Janeway prided herself on the efficiency of her crew, and the ability to follow her orders without question. In no time at all, Chakotay had called all members of the crew back from shore leave, Tuvok with the help of Seven of Nine and the engineering team had implemented modified security scans aboard Voyager, and Voyager was finally running in top shape, all while every member aboard the ship got at least three days off for shore leave.

She sat back in her command chair, and mused silently. They had just had shore leave, but for some members of the crew it was cut short. Perhaps they could find another planet, out of the Taldoran System where they could stop again – some place farther away from Taldora Prime and the Premier’s thinly veiled warning. A flash of concern burst through her mind before she shook it away. If the Taldorans had a problem with Voyager’s refusing to help eliminate the Cammiern, then Voyager would be ready for them. She had already appraised Tuvok and the security teams to be on alert as they traveled out of the system…not that she necessarily expected trouble, but from past experiences, she knew it was always best to be prepared.

Worry abated for the moment, her thoughts drifted back to the matter of shore leave for her crew. She did feel a little guilty that what was supposed to be a week total for every member of her crew only ended up being a couple of days. As they traveled to find a new planet, perhaps Neelix would be willing to throw together a party just as a show of her appreciation.

She snorted quietly – she knew full well Neelix would be more than happy to help.

Chakotay heard her, and turned in his chair, looking at her expectantly. Janeway shook her head with a smile. “Just thinking – have you ever known Neelix to turn down an invitation to throw a party?”

Chakotay chuckled. “Not in my recollection. If he ever did, we’d know we had an imposter aboard Voyager.”

“True. You know I’m usually the one trying to stop him from throwing a party every week!” Janeway said grinning.

“Well, he does take his position of ‘Chief Moral Officer’ very seriously,” Chakotay said – eyes twinkling slightly.

Both Chakotay and Janeway turned at the small cough behind them. “Something to add, Tuvok?” Janeway asked, grinning mischievously at Chakotay.

“Negative, Captain.” 

Janeway gave Tuvok a knowing smile and smirked when she saw an expression of what she would swear was annoyance cross her security chief’s face at the mention of the resident Talaxian. Turning back to Chakotay, she said thoughtfully, “I think I will ask Neelix to throw together a party for the crew – nothing too outrageous, but something to tide them over. I know they’d never say anything, but I can tell they’re a little disappointed.”

Chakotay nodded approvingly. “Good idea, Captain.”

With that decision settled, the rest of the duty shift passed smoothly. At it’s conclusion, Janeway asked Neelix about throwing a party for the crew of Voyager, and after almost an hour of discussing the plans, she was almost positive Neelix wouldn’t blow the surplus supplies for a massive blow out. His excitement was always a little difficult to temper, though she was confident he would abide by her specifications…well, almost confident. 

In record time, the “Midpoint Party” as Neelix had taken to calling it was scheduled, planned, and decorated, and by the end of the week, Holodeck Two had been reserved for the bash. Janeway grinned as she walked down the halls of Voyager and could hear the muffled sounds of music playing and crew members talking as she approached the Holodeck. 

As the doors slid open with a soft _whoosh_ , she breathed in a sigh of relief. Neelix hadn’t gone overboard, but had still managed to craft a beautiful beach side party, one that she had a sneaking suspicion Tom Paris assisted in creating. Crew members could be seen swimming in the ocean or lounging on the beach, or enjoying some of the food and drink set up at the beach side restaurant. A band played a relaxing dancing tune off to the corner, and Janeway could see Naomi Wildman dancing with her mother. The breeze blew lazily across the air, and Janeway was glad she opted for a white cotton shirt and pants rather than wearing her uniform – the salty air felt heavenly.

She felt a brush at her side, and turned to see Chakotay holding out a drink.

“Coconut Kathryn?” He asked, a smirk playing across his face.

“Don’t mind if I do,” she said taking the drink looking down at the liquid topped with a cheerful pink umbrella. She took a tentative sip – the flavor wasn’t bad, though not entirely what she was expecting.

“What is it?” She asked, taking another sip.

“Some sort of Old Earth drink that Tom is fond of, apparently,” Chakotay said taking a sip of his own drink. “It’s a bit sweeter than I would have liked, but not altogether too bad.”

“I’d have to agree with you there,” Janeway said nodding her glass – or coconut in his direction. 

The two continued talking – everything from ships business to Tom’s latest spat with B’elanna that the whole ship was still recovering from. Laughing as Chakotay recounted the time a week or so ago when Tom could be seen hurrying down the corridor to his room in nothing but his skivvies because B’elanna had locked him out. Only Tom could be stood there in front of his commanding officer in nothing but Star Fleet Issue grey cotton underwear and treat the interaction as if it were a normal occurrence. Snorting into her drink, Janeway looked up as Chakotay tapped her shoulder.

“There she is Kathryn,” Chakotay said, pointing to someone in the crowd.

“Who?”

“Seven of Nine.” A smirk crossed his face as the Captain’s eyes softened almost imperceptibly – if he didn’t know her so well, he would’ve missed it completely. Although he was extremely perceptive, it didn’t take a genius to figure out the Captain’s feelings, even if the Captain herself refused to act on them. He rolled his eyes as she turned to look at him blankly, and decided he would need to spell it out for her.

“Go talk to her,” he said and cut her off as she looked about to interrupt. “I don’t think she knows what to do with the coconut Tom gave her.” Which, he mused, was probably true – Seven was at one of the standing tables set up around the restuarant looking at the green umbrella in her drink with thinly veiled disinterest.

“I just saw B’elanna and Tom walk by – I’m going to have to have a talk with them about appropriate attire in the corridors of Voyager. After all, we have a child on board,” he said with a slight chuckle. “I’ll see you around Kathryn.” 

And with that Chakotay left in pursuit of Tom and B’elanna and Janeway remained left rooted to the spot. Was she so obvious?

Shaking her head slightly as if to clear the confusion away, she turned to Seven. Jokes aside, Chakotay was probably right – Seven looked about ready to throw the coconut. Perhaps it was best that she talk to her.

Walking up to the tall former drone, Janeway leaned against the table Seven was standing at and greeted her with a smile.

“Have you tried it yet, Seven?” 

“Tried it, Captain?” Seven said with a disinterested glance at the coconut in her hand, glaring at the tiny green umbrella as if it had wronged her.

Janeway stifled a chuckle. “It’s a drink Seven – though a little sweeter than I would have liked, it’s not bad.”

Seven took a hesitant sip. “This beverage contains alcohol.”

Janeway nodded slowly. “…Yes?”

“Alcohol’s purpose is to intoxicate.” Seven stated matter of factly.

Janeway stood looking at Seven nonplused, surprised that the Doctor hadn’t covered social drinking in their lessons. She shook her head at Seven, who quirked an eyebrow. 

“Alcohol’s purpose can be to intoxicate, though I would say most people prefer to drink it to lower their inhibitions – it can make people feel more relaxed or help them enjoy a good time at, let’s say a party, for example,” she said gesturing around them. “Though the specific amount a person needs to drink to reach that point varies from person to person depending on their height and weight, and if you drink too much, and become intoxicated, you can get sick” Janeway said.

“That is inefficient,” Seven said placing her drink on a passing waiter’s tray.

“What?”

“…if people wanted to lower their inhibitions there are drugs that exist that the Doctor can prescribe without the risk of individuals becoming ill.”

Janeway chuckled lightly. “Well, I think the bonus to alcohol is that people like the taste, and we can leave the philosophical discussion about the merits of alcohol versus ‘party drugs’ prescribed by the Doctor for another time.” 

Seven nodded and then looked at Janeway curiously, and then came to stand just inside the Captain’s personal space. The movement caused a change in the atmosphere around them – the energy between the two suddenly becoming charged, with something Janeway wasn’t entirely sure she wanted to name.

“Is that why you drink, Captain, to lower your inhibitions?” Seven asked, and then a mischievous glint flitted across her eyes as she leaned in towards the Captain ever so slightly. “To feel more…relaxed?”

It took a monumental effort for Janeway to tear her gaze from the red lips just in front of her to look up into Seven’s eyes. 

“I…what?” Janeway asked feeling somewhat discombobulated – she felt trapped in Seven’s gaze.

Seven moved slightly, almost backing Janeway against the table. “Do you feel relaxed, Captain?” Seven asked in a lowered voice.

Janeway let out a strangled sound she prayed Seven couldn’t hear and tried to regain control of her command mask. She was the Captain, and she wasn’t about to be intimidated on her own ship…even if it was by a beautiful former Borg drone.

Janeway grinned slightly and grasped Seven’s shoulder. “I don’t know about _relaxed_ , but what about you, Seven?” Janeway asked trailing her hand slowly down Seven’s arm. “Do you feel relaxed?”

Seven looked down at Janeway’s hand, which had stopped moving down her arm just below her elbow, and then back at the Captain. “Well, Captain, I…”

But what Seven was feeling was to remain a mystery, for at that exact moment, the lights aboard Voyager cut out. Janeway tried desperately to make out the something in the dark of the Holodeck, but it was impossible. The voices of the crew could be heard around her, though she couldn’t see a thing. In the pitch black of the room, she couldn’t even make out the face of Seven of Nine who was standing right in front of her. Something about the situation seemed wrong – they had just filled up on supplies and even had a surplus, and yet the power cut out. Pushing down the chilling feeling of anxiety to somewhere manageable, Janeway tapped her communicator – command mask firmly in place.

“Janeway to the Bridge, report,” Janeway said firmly, but she got no response. Trying three more times yielded the same results, and she knew something was wrong. She almost jumped out of her skin when she felt a metal hand clasp around her shoulder.

“Seven! Gods, you startled me.” Janeway said shaking off the spike of fear that came with feeling a hand she couldn’t see grabbing her shoulder. Looking in the general direction of where she last saw Seven’s face, she asked, “Can you see?”

“Affirmative Captain. My ocular implant is compensating for the darkness.”

“Well that makes one of us then,” The Captain grumbled. “Something is wrong – I didn’t get a response from the bridge – we’ll need to organize the crew in the Holodeck to figure out what happened. We’ll need to check on the bridge and get down to Engineering to get the back up generator for internal power failure running. I don’t know why it hasn’t kicked in yet if we’re still sitting in the dark, but depending on the power failure, this could potentially impact life support.”

Seven nodded, but Janeway couldn’t see her. The sounds of the rising panic of the crew could be heard around them, and Janeway knew she needed to get organized quickly. Raising her voice slightly, she instructed the crew to wait in clusters, and that someone from the command team would find them shortly.

She could still feel Seven’s grip on her shoulder, and she looked up into where she hoped Seven’s face was. “You can see, right? Well can you lead me to the rest of the command team. We’ll need to think of a plan.”

“Of course, Captain,” Seven said, and then gently pulled Janeway through the Holodeck. Luckily Chakotay, B’elanna, and Tom were in the same area. And Seven left Janeway standing with them to go find Tuvok and Harry. Harry’s frightened yelp as Seven grabbed his arm would have been funny if the circumstances weren’t so dire.

It was strange talking with her senior staff when she could only hear the responses of the disembodied voices around her. She knew she was standing next to B’elanna, and that the others were in a circle around her, but it was still strange being suddenly left without her sight. She cursed softly again when she felt Seven’s hand grab ahold of her arm, as she relayed instructions to the command team. 

The plan was to split into three teams, one to check on the bridge, one to check on engineering, and one scout the ship to see what they could find. Tuvok, Tom, and Harry would help arm the crew members in the Holodeck and then fan out to search the ship – either for intruders of the injured crew members who might have been caught unawares by the sudden blackout. Chakotay and B’elanna would see to engineering to get the back up generators online, and Janeway and Seven would check on the bridge.

“We don’t know what we’re dealing with,” Janeway said to her assembled staff. “So, be careful. We’ll meet back in Holodeck Two in an hour, hopefully with answers, and once Tuvok and Chakotay help you all arm everyone with a phaser, you can use them to help you see…just don’t destroy too much of Voyager,” She said with a hidden wry smile.

A chorus of “Yes, Captain” could be heard from her senior staff, and soon she could hear them off distributing phasers to the remaining crew members in the Holodeck.

She almost jumped again when she felt a presence by her side. 

“I don’t like the thought of you going to the bridge alone, Captain,” Chakotay said, voice concerned.

“I won’t be alone, I have Seven,” Janeway said, but then sighed. “I don’t like us having to split up either, but this is my ship and I need to figure out why my crew members on the bridge aren’t responding. I’m not planning on going in there guns blazing, but I do plan to figure out what happened. We’ll stay in contact with the communicators…who knows, maybe this is just a simple malfunction and not something more sinister.”

“Maybe.” Chakotay said, humoring her.

Janeway reached out and grasped his arm. “We’ll be back soon – and you be safe in engineering.”

With that, Janeway and Seven crept slowly out of the Holodeck, phasers in hand. Silently the two women walked the corridors of Voyager making their way up to the bridge. Surprisingly, the turbolifts still worked – which meant that the lights were the only thing that weren’t working on Voyager, but pointed at a more calculated sabotage. Seven lead Janeway down the corridors, with Janeway relying on Seven’s enhanced sight for the moment – hoping that Chakotay and B’elanna would be able to get the lights back on soon. 

They made their way silently and uneventfully past sever corridors when suddenly Janeway felt herself being pulled into a smaller access alcove and pushed against the wall by Seven of Nine – Seven’s back coming to press against the Captain.

“Seven?” Janeway breathed, but Seven held a finger to Janeway’s lips with a whispered ‘Quiet.’

Janeway’s heart beat rapidly in her chest, ears straining to hear what Seven had her hiding from. It seemed like the two women waited in the alcove for hours when really it had only been a couple of minutes before Janeway heard something – a low murmur of voices and the chinking of metal as a couple of figures walked passed the alcove. 

“…The crew have no idea we’re here. Round them up, and take what you want from this…”

Their conversation faded as the figures walked out of range. Janeway’s mind was working furiously – Voyager had been boarded, as to how or why, she wasn’t sure. But the intruders were here – that she was sure of.

She felt Seven turn slightly against her, until she was sure Seven was facing her. 

“There are intruder’s Captain,” Seven breathed.

“I’ve gathered that much – we have to warn the others before it’s too late. We need to see what they’ve done with the crew and get them off my ship!” Janeway whispered furiously. Janeway squinted as if that would help her see in the darkness of Voyager. “Are they gone?” She asked quietly.

“For now, Captain,” Seven whispered. “They seem to be wearing devices that help them see in the dark.”

“Damn,” Janeway breathed, and reached up to tap her communicator.


	5. Chapter 5

“Janeway to Chakotay,” The Captain whispered into her communicator.

No response for a moment, and then the whispered and anxious voice of Chakotay filled the small alcove. “Chakotay here Captain.”

Janeway sighed in relief. “Voyager has been boarded. Spread the word to anyone you find, but be careful. They’re wearing devices to help them see in the dark, so if we can get the power back on it should flood their optical devices with energy leaving them temporarily blinded. We need to regroup…”

But she was cut off by the sound of Chakotay yelling and a crackle of static – her attempts to reach him again failed, and as she sat in the darkness of the alcove, and the silence around herself and Seven became oppressive. She felt her stomach sink at the implications of the dead comm line, and fear shot through her system in bursts – keeping her on high alert. Her skin felt clammy, and she was sure Seven could hear her gulp audibly. Her fear only intensified as she tried to warn the rest of her senior staff, but the end of her messages was met by a yell and a crackle of static. Either her crew were being picked off one by one, or something else had happened to them – though what, she did not want to imagine. 

Mind working furiously to come up with a plan, she didn’t hear as Seven whispered her name. A light brush on her shoulder and her thoughts skidded to a halt.

 _“Fuck,”_ she breathed out. “Seven, you’re going to kill me doing that.”

“Apologies, Captain,” Seven whispered. “But we should think of a plan and get out of this alcove. We are too close to the bridge for us to remain hidden for long.”

“Agreed,” Janeway said quietly. After a moment she spoke again. “But we need to be careful…” She trailed off for a moment and then, “The holodeck.”

“Captain?”

“We need to head to head to the holodeck. When we were last in there at the party, the power surge didn’t stop the program from running – it just cut out the lights. If it really is the two of us against these intruders, we can program some environment with the safeties off and have holograms assist us. We can also bring the Doctor there, presuming the intruders don’t know we have a holographic doctor on board. It could be helpful,” Janeway said, rising to a crouch, feeling slightly more in control now that she had a plan, though the fear she felt earlier remained a constant companion.

With a nod invisible to Janeway, Seven lead the way out of the alcove to the holodeck. Twice they were almost spotted, and twice they managed to avoid detection – but only just. Creeping through the corridors of Voyager in the dark in eerie silence was an ominous journey. The entire time they walked, the hairs on the back of Janeway’s neck stood up, and she couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching her – following just behind them.

Although her command training, and her nature, prevented her from giving into fear - she couldn’t help but feel the emotion. Not being able to contact her crew, and not being able to see as intruders wandered through her ship was a disconcerting experience. In the pitch black of the ship, she would swear that she could make out elongated shadows through the corridors, and that every noise was the sound of the intruders coming for them. Taking a silent breath to steady herself, she just had to trust that Seven wouldn’t lead her into harms way.

No sooner had she had the thought than she could hear footsteps approaching them. 

Muffled though they were, it was clear that they were fast approaching, though Janeway was sure she and Seven were still undetected. They had reached the doors to the holodeck, and Janeway furiously keyed in the codes to open the door, willing her code to silence the computer’s automatic chime. 

Seven’s breath on the back of her neck mixed with the sound of her own hurried breathing, setting her further on edge.

“Hurry Captain,” Seven said, voice barely above a whisper.

“I’m trying,” Janeway whispered back, “But I don’t want the computer to give away our position.”

Seven checked over her shoulder. “They are approaching from down the corridor, but we remain hidden from view for now. I will try and assist you.”

The two woman continued working on the console, but for some reason, the power surge that had taken out the lights seemed to be finally catching up with the other systems. They managed to get the doors to unlock, but only just. Furiously, the two attempted to pry apart the doors of the holodeck, Seven’s Borg strength easily making up for Janeway’s relative inability to budge the door. 

“Almost there…” and suddenly the door opened with a soft whoosh.

“Did you hear that?” Came the voice from one of the guards.

“Yeah, from up ahead, come on.”

Footsteps marched at a quick pace down the hall and Janeway felt Seven’s Borg hand push her into the holodeck, and start to shut the doors behind her.

“Seven what the hell are you doing?” Janeway whispered furiously, trying desperately to stop the door from being shut.

But the only response she received was the door closing resolutely in front of her. Janeway pressed her ear to the door, and could hear the muffled voices of the intruders and Seven outside.

_“That’s another one, get her!”_

With baited breath, Janeway listened to the sounds of the scuffle, yelling and cursing, but nothing from Seven of Nine. Soon, she could hear the intruders walking away, the sounds of dragging accompanying their slowed footsteps.

They had taken over her ship and incapacitated her crew. For all she knew, she was the only member aboard Voyager that could make a difference, but she knew she didn’t have much time – as the Captain, they’d be looking for her. The sounds of Seven’s limp body being dragged down the corridor and the yells from her senior staff still ringing in her ears, she squared her shoulders. 

_“Not my ship,”_ she thought. _“Not if I can help it.”_

Reaching up to her communicator, she sent a silent prayer to whatever deity might be listening and paged the Doctor.

“Janeway to the Doctor,” she whispered into her communicator.

A moment’s silence, and then her communicator crackled to life, and Janeway breathed a sigh of relief.

“This is the Doctor Captain, what is going on? Why don’t we have power? What…” he whispered before Janeway cut him off.

“I’ll explain later, but I need you to come to holodeck two. Can you transport yourself there?”

“Yes. I’ll see you soon Captain.”

Janeway waited with baited breath as she was enveloped in silence once more. Then all at once, the shimmering lights indicating the Doctor’s arrival filled the holodeck. Averting her eyes to the sudden bright light, Janeway quickly approached the Doctor, the room filling with darkness once more.

“Captain, what is going on?” The Doctor whispered urgently.

Janeway filled him in quickly on the situation, the cut of the lights, the disappearance of the crew, and what she knew of the intruders. They needed to think of a plan, and she explained the dire circumstances Voyager remained in.

After listening in what Janeway assumed was rapt attention, the Doctor responded, “We’ll have to set our plan here. While it’s not sickbay or the bridge, we should be able to reroute power to scan the beings and see what might incapacitate them.”

Janeway nodded thoughtfully. It wasn’t a stretch to use the holodeck for that purpose, it had been done enough times before, and although a little rusty with the procedure, Janeway was confident she could replicate it. The two set off to work on there tasks, and soon, the rerouted scanner was up and running. Half way through scanning, the Doctor had come up with the idea to patch through the communications system to try and eavesdrop on the conversations of the intruders. It was difficult, having only done that level of engineering a couple of times in her academy days, but after a few mishaps, Janeway got the configuration up and running. 

Standing back to look at her handiwork, she and the Doctor started analyzing the data they had collected from the scanners while patching into the communications systems. 

“They are biological organisms, Captain, and preliminary scans suggest they are similar to the Taldorans, but I would need an actual tissue sample to determine an accurate weakness.”

Janeway nodded, but then shushed the Doctor as a conversation of the intruders played through her configuration through the holodeck.

_“Strip the ship, pilfer what you can from the crew, and then eject them. That should send a message to Premier Briv’oin and the rest of the politicians on Taldora Prime. These outworlders have no place desecrating our sacred planet with their presence.”_

_“And the ship sir?_

_“Once you’ve removed anything useful, blow it up. Outworlders need to know that they are not welcome here…Did you find everyone?”_

_“The Captain seems to be unaccounted for sir, J’rem heard some of them talking in the cargo hold. They’re starting to wake up, what do you want me to do with them?”_

_“Hmm, the Captain remains unaccounted for, eh? Tells you all you need to know about this species if the Captain leaves the crew for slaughter. If the crew gives you trouble, threaten the child. They seem oddly protective of such a frail thing.”_

_“Yes sir!_

The conversation faded out of existence, and the holodeck was left in silence once again, the Doctor and Janeway each processing what had happened. So Premier Briv’oin was right – these must be the Cammiern. Janeway groaned – just her luck, trying to stay out of another world’s conflict and having to deal with it anyways.

“Doctor,” She said, “We need to figure out a way to get these beings off the ship, before they eject the crew out the airlock.” Her throat constricted at the thought.

“I have an idea, Captain, but it’ll be dangerous.”

Janeway nodded grimly. That statement hardly came as a surprise. “What is it?”

“If I could get neurological readings of just one of the intruders, I could configure a neuroshock wave to incapacitate them…the catch, however, is that you’d have to place a tracker on one of them for me to get the appropriate biofeedback.”

Janeway cursed silently under her breath. “So, what your saying is that I’d have to get close enough to one of them to touch them.”

“Unfortunately, yes,” The Doctor said apologetically. “But once I have that information, it will be relatively quick to configure the neuroshock.

“Do you have the tracker?” Janeway asked, already steeling herself for the task ahead.

“I should in a moment – I just need to replicate the design.”

After a moment while the Doctor worked silently, he came away from the console and up to Janeway. 

“Here it is…and Captain, good luck.”

Janeway clapped his shoulder tightly and slid outside the holodeck. She didn’t necessarily want to give herself up to these intruders, but she had to take back her ship. And the sound of Seven’s unconscious body being dragged across the floor was motivation enough.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a short one, but I think it's necessary. The good news is that you get two chapters today! I hope you enjoy! I love reviews!

T’lrek smoothed his salt and pepper goatee, his muscular frame blocking the light from the cargo bay from spilling out into the corridors of Voyager. As the base center of his operations, his techs had left this room full of light. He wrinkled his nose distastefully at the sight before him. Outworlders sickened him, how they thought they could just waltz up to any planet of their choosing – utilize their resources without sharing anything in return was beyond him. His hands tightened into a fist at the thought of the Premier. She was the one who allowed this.

He strode into the cargo bay, eyes sweeping slowly over the carnage his officers had caused. A hideous sneer graced his lips as his first lieutenant reported.

“Commander, the process has begun, the crew is deceptively strong, but your suggestion to target the child seemed to immobilize them.”

T’lrek barked out a harsh laugh. “As I knew it would. Outworlders often care too much for their young, and since she is the only one aboard, she must have some value.” He looked around again at the people in front of him. The Voyager crew stood cramped in the cargo bay, his officers pointing weapons at them holding them in place, as his second lieutenant trained a weapon on the young girl. 

There had been a small battle when the crew awoke. T’lrek smiled ruefully – if he didn’t enjoy watching the Outworlders experience death, he would have left them unconscious. It sometimes created difficulties, as it did with this crew, but the payoff was worth it. As he discussed plans to blow up the ship with his lieutenant, he grew aware of the sounds of a scuffle taking place on the edge of the cargo bay. The outworlder with the metal implants had taken to fighting his guards in an effort to reach the child. If she wasn’t an outworlder, he might have even been impressed with the display.

The one with the metal implants had freed the knife from his second lieutenant’s hand and was yelling at the child to run. Her actions had started to agitate the crew of outworlders, and the smirk slid off his face. Perhaps the outworlders would give him more trouble than he originally thought.

“Stop right there!” He roared as his second lieutenant dogged a fatal blow from the knife. Pointing his jagged three pronged knife at the child, she skidded to a halt, terror rooting her to the spot. It was as if time seemed to freeze for a moment as he advanced towards the scuffle.

“No!” Came the voice from a woman with the same eyes as the child. She had lunged forward as he grabbed the girl tightly by the arm. The woman was held back by a large man with a facial tattoo who glared at him in hatred.

T’lrek laughed again, and the girl whimpered as he gripped her arm even tighter.

“Smart man,” T’lrek said nodding. Turning to the metal woman, he snarled, “Causing trouble again Outworlder?”

“Hardly trouble seeing as how easy it was to take down your pathetic soldiers,” The woman said with a sneer to rival his own. “And my name is Seven of Nine – you cannot keep us here for long.”

“Maybe not,” T’lrek replied with a wicked grin. “But I can make sure that your stay is unpleasant.”

Snapping for his guards to appear, they quickly wrestled the knife from the metal woman, three of them holding her back as he approached. T’lrek threw the girl to the floor, and approached the metal woman menacingly. 

“You have been more difficult to subdue since you woke up,” T’lrek said and raised his weapon. “I’m about to rectify that.”

“Wait just a minute!” Came a voice from near the doors to the cargo bay.


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I don't know how to change the rating for this chapter, but I'll post it here - this one is probably M just to be safe. Trigger warning for physical violence against some of the members of the crew.

“Got it?” The Doctor asked nervously.

“Got it.” Janeway replied grimly. She wasn’t pleased about getting close enough to the Cammiern to place a bio tracker on one of them so that the Doctor could send a neuroshock and eject them from the ship, but she was committed to her crew, if nothing else, and would stop at nothing to stop the intruders.

The Doctor placed a hesitant hand on her shoulder, and at Janeway’s inquiring look, he shook his head thoughtfully. “Just be careful Captain, I’ve got a bad feeling about this.”

“Thanks for the pep talk,” Janeway said wryly, but she took his hand in her own. “I will do my best to be safe, but I will do whatever it takes to preserve the safety of this crew.”

“That’s what I’m afraid of,” The Doctor said, passing her the tracker. “Now all you have to do is push it into one of the soldiers skin. I’ll be able to pick it up from the Holodeck and remove them from the ship.” He gave her one last appraising look. “Good luck.”

As The Doctor vanished from sight, Janeway squared her shoulders in grim determination. No one boarded her ship without welcome and got away with it.

She moved cautiously into the corridors lining Voyager. She did not know quite what to expect, but if her last encounter with them was anything to go by, they were not the friendliest of species. She shuddered involuntarily and continued walking, coming to stand just before the cargo bay door, she could hear shouts from the inside.

Surging inside, she was suddenly bathed in light, and her eyes took a moment to adjust. But when they did, she became aware that the leader of the Cammiern was advancing on Seven with a weapon about to do some serious harm. Needing to get his attention and quickly, she did the only thing she could think of.

“Wait just a minute!” She yelled, and was satisfied to see the leader whirl around in surprise, a toothy smile filling his face as he got sight of her.

“Why you must be the elusive Captain Janeway!” He said, leaving Seven forgotten and restrained by three guards.

Doing a quick once over Seven to check for harm, she moved forward to approach the Cammiern leader, eyes locking with Seven in relief.

“I know what you’re planning on doing with my crew,” She said to the leader who frowned. “And I can’t let that happen.”

“Really now?” He asked in mock sympathy. “That’s quite a pity because, you see, we’re already well on our way to completing our task. In fact…now that you’ve showed up, we can finish it. There’s just a couple of things I need to grab from you and then you and your disgusting outworlders can be removed from this system.”

Janeway barely had time to dodge the punch aimed at her face, so instead of being knocked to the floor, the blow only glanced. 

“How dare you!” Seven yelled, the rest of her crew following suit, incensed on behalf of their Captain. 

“Silence!” T’lrek roared, rounding on the crew. 

Seeing this as her chance, Janeway silently moved closer. She could see Chakotay’s questioning eye, and subtle shake of the head. Instead of being deterred, she surreptitiously showed him the device in her hands. Understanding washed across his face.

“Why don’t you just let us go? We could have been out of the system by now!” Chakotay yelled, gaining the attention of T’lrek who had started to turn back to Janeway.

“I don’t need to explain myself to you!”

The sounds of the conversation seemed to fade out of existence as she remained focused on her mission. She was almost there, she lifted her hand to insert the tracker into his exposed neck.

“Sir!” The voice came from one of T’lrek’s guards who had appeared in the doorway of the cargo bay.

T’lrek whirled around and grabbed Janeway’s approaching arm.

“Trying to strangle me Captain? You must know that your puny outworld strength could never best the Cammiern.”

Praising the powers that be, she decided to feed into his delusion, secretly closing her fist around the device.

“What kind of Captain would I be if I didn’t try?” She asked, trying to goad him into releasing her arm.

“Hmm, well I suppose that’s true,” T’lrek said somewhat thoughtfully. “But, then I must return the favor.”

He dropped her hand, but before she could think of a new plan to stick him with the tracker, she saw what he was about to do before she could fully process it. Raised in his fist was his jagged three pronged knife, and suddenly, the knife was rushing towards her.

She let out a gasp as she felt the knife made contact, piercing through bone and tearing flesh. Time seemed to slow down as she looked up her crew, to see their shocked and livid faces staring back at her – their shouts echoing through the walls of the cargo bay.

“No!” The word reverberated around the halls – enunciated in ways Janeway never thought possible. Fear from Seven, anguish from Chakotay, and fury from B’elanna all mixed with the screams from the crew. Seven surged forward, but was held back by the three Cammiern guards on her sides, and the crew fought to break free from their captors, but were halted by a cry from Naomi as the sickening crack of her wrist could be heard throughout the cargo bay. 

Tears streamed down every crew members’ face in the cargo bay, and the guards cackled in triumph.

Looking away from her crew, Janeway placed her hand upon the knife sticking out of her chest, and dazedly looked into the eyes of T’lrek. Breathing was hard, thinking was near impossible, and all she felt like doing was screaming, but she knew she had to be strong – knew that there was something left she had to do...she just could not fully remember it. 

He grinned in triumph as the blood oozed slowly out of the wound and covered her hand in a sticky red mess, and she knew she just had seconds left of consciousness. She coughed and felt a dribble of blood drop out of the corner of her mouth, but for some reason, she could not be bothered to care about it. Her ears were thundering, her vision was clouding, and her body shook like a leaf, but she managed a smirk, much to T’lrek’s surprise.

“Was that supposed to hurt?” she choked out staring defiantly at T’lrek.

The effect of her statement was instantaneous, T’lrek let out a roar of frustration and then suddenly leaned in close. “That didn’t hurt Captain?” he asked dangerously, “Well, I must have done something wrong,” he snarled out as he pressed the knife further into her chest.

She let out a gasp of pain. Yells of indignation and anger could be heard, but to the Captain, they sounded miles away. The small part of her brain that still remained conscious knew that she was choking on her own blood, and that she had only seconds left to finish her task. Her task! She moved her other hand to latch onto T’lrek’s. He was too busy enjoying killing her to feel the tiny pinprick on his skin. No matter, she had done her job, and as her vision swam and the thundering in her ears became louder, she knew this was the end. She looked over at Seven, who was screaming something that she could not quite hear and fighting desperately against three of T’lrek’s soldiers who were struggling to hold her back. Seven’s normally neutral expression was screwed up in anguish, and tears poured from her eyes, though Janeway was not sure why. She made eye contact with Seven, saw her say something to her, but could not understand it. T’lrek twisted the knife in her chest, and Janeway let out a scream. Satisfied with his work, T’lrek pulled the knife violently away from her body, and flung the Captain to the ground.

She fell almost as if in slow motion, the room full of people seemed to disappear, and the thundering in her ears seemed to dissipate. She landed painfully on her back, and lay limply on the ground. She could still see Seven, though she could no longer understand what was happening in her surroundings. She blinked once slowly, and as she opened her eyes she seemed to make out what Seven was screaming, although she could no longer hear her. “Hold on,” seemed to be the phrase spilling from Seven’s lips like a plea, but Janeway could offer no comfort.

As the world around her darkened, she could only think of the shape of Seven’s lips and the sticky feeling of blood pooling around her.


	8. Chapter 8

As the Captain’s body fell to the ground as if in slow motion, Seven screamed for the Captain to just hold on. Just hold on until she could get to her and save her, but even she knew it was futile. She fought ruthlessly against her captors, clawing, punching, and kicking with all of her might. As she struggled to escape the hold the three Cammiern soldiers had on her, she locked eyes with Janeway and begged her to stay in the land of the living.

Instead, she saw her Captain die.

As she saw the light leave the Captain’s eyes, she felt something in her snap. Her mind seemed to be fixated on one single thought – it should not have been possible for the Captain to die. With her Borg enhanced hearing, even through the sounds of chaos around her, she heard the Captain’s heart stop beating. But through the sounds of chaos, the screams from the Voyager crew and the yells from the Cammiern, no one could hear the sound of Seven’s heart shattering.

It was as if with the Captain’s death, the crew seemed to forget their humanity in the face of their anger and overwhelming grief. They did not just fight to rid themselves of their captors, no, they fought to obliterate them. It was clear that T’lrek had made one crucial error in his calculations to take over Voyager – he never factored in the pure and unwavering sense of loyalty the crew felt towards Janeway. It was as if in death, she become a martyr. Tooth and nail, the crew fought, and were aided by Janeway’s last act – transferring the biofeedback to The Doctor. With one push of a button, he was able to incapacitate the Cammiern.

With her captors gone, Seven ran to the lifeless body of the Captain, and slid next to her side. The pool of blood surrounding the Captain stained the knees of her biosuit, and the blood that continued to pool out of the Captain’s chest was still warm as it spilled almost gracefully out of the wound. Seven knelt in horror at the sight before her. How it could be possible? That the Captain was well and truly dead seemed impossible to her. The once fierce and fiery form of the Captain lay broken on the cold and unforgiving floor of the cargo bay. Delicately, Seven’s hands approached the Captain, fingers trembling as she lifted and pulled the Captain close. Seven could feel the warm, sticky blood from the Captain’s chest wound staining her biosuit as she lovingly cradled Janeway’s body to her chest, one arm wrapped tightly around the Captain’s shoulders, another supporting the Captain’s neck, although it was no longer necessary. The fight between the Voyager crew and the Cammiern seemed to dissipate into the background, and all Seven could remain aware of was the body of the woman in her arms. Janeway’s mouth was stained in a cherry smile, and her eyes remained open – staring unblinkingly up at Seven. 

Fury, white and hot coursed through Seven’s veins which masked the profound grief that had settled in her stomach. The only thought in her mind was to make every last one of the Cammiern pay for what they did to Janeway, the best woman – the best person that Seven knew. She stared unseeingly at the woman before her as tears obscured her vision and splashed onto the face of the once vibrant and alive Janeway. Breathing was difficult, as she struggled to contain her sobs. She rocked Janeway back and forth slowly, whispering soothing words that she would never hear – pleas and promises spilled from her throat as if wishing alone could bring her back. She gently tucked a piece of Janeway’s hair behind her ear, and placed her lips gently against her temple. She needed a plan. She needed to attack. She needed…she needed…this drone…this drone…resistance…resistance is futile. We are the Borg…we are the Borg, resistance is futile.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and shuddered violently at the perceived attack, her erratic thoughts ceasing. She turned menacingly, prepared to defend the body of the Captain from the Cammiern, only to see the grief stricken expression of Chakotay. 

“Seven…” Chakotay began softly, pain lacing his words before Seven cut him off.

“No.” She said with a voice so full of pain, even the most stoic of Voyager crew members were affected. 

“Seven,” Chakotay tried again, voice full of a compassion that Seven wanted to tear out of him – wanted to have an avenue to express her own pain.

“No…do not…no, I…” Seven broke in again uncharacteristically lost for words. She clutched Janeway’s body tighter as if she were afraid someone would take the Captain from her.

She felt someone kneel down across from her, and softly place a calloused hand over her own. She looked up into the anguished face of B’elanna. 

“She’s gone,” B’elanna said gruffly, coughing over the lump in her throat. “She was a great warrior, and she’s gone.” The muffled cries of the Voyager crew seemed to permeate the silence following B’elanna’s statement, until an anguished yell broke through the muffled sobs. B’elanna held her head back and yelled towards the sky for the passing of their beloved Captain.

In the silence that followed, Seven slowly stood up, carrying the lifeless and limp body of Janeway with ease. Chakotay tapped the wall com and initiated a site to site transport from the cargo bay to sick bay. After Seven left with the Captain’s body, it was as if the reality of the situation set in. Silence, thick and crushing converged over the crew who were left with nothing to stare at but each other and Janeway’s blood.

Suddenly, a little voice piped up from the crowd. “Maybe,” Naomi Wildman whispered cradling her broken arm, “Maybe the Doctor can fix her?” Samantha tried to explain to her the unlikely possibility, but was stopped by a clearing of a throat from Tuvok.

Surprising everyone he began to speak. “It is not…illogical to…hope. The Doctor may surprise us yet.”


	9. Chapter 9

“Please state the…oh my gods,” The Doctor whispered at the site before him. Seven had materialized in sickbay covered in what he could only assume was the Captain’s blood. Her normally impassive face was hardened to stone and covered in tear tracks. Even he could see that part of her had died with the woman in her arms. He approached slowly and looked at the broken form of the Captain, whose blood stood out in stark contrast to her pale skin, and whose eyes had lost their shimmer of life. 

As a hologram, he could not cry, but he wanted to.

“Fix her.” Seven commanded pushing Janeway slightly towards The Doctor.

“Seven?”

“Fix her.” Seven commanded again, placing Janeway lovingly on a biobed. With a soft caress of Janeway’s forehead, she turned to look at The Doctor. “Your knowledge and my nanoprobes can bring her back. I know it. Fix her.” She said almost desperately.

“Seven, I don’t know that I can…” he began, to only be cut off by Seven grabbing his holographic uniform tightly.

“I do not care about that! Just fix her! I will give you all of my nanoprobes if it can make her whole again.”

The Doctor gently disentangled himself from Seven. “I didn’t say that I wouldn’t try, Seven,” he began, “I just need you to know…” He hesitated for a moment, and looked into her eyes. They stared back at him wildly, the pain as evident as that of a wounded animal. Gently, he grabbed her Borg hand, trying to offer as much hope and courage as he could muster through a single touch. “Together, we will do whatever we can to fix the Captain, but even that might not be enough to reverse death.”

Seven nodded jerkily, the logical part of her brain taking over, and the two began to work.

It took some time before The Doctor had extracted enough nanoprobes from Seven for the time being. This first batch would be used to try and stimulate her mind, to create a sort medically induced coma so that while her mind repaired, he could work on healing the damage to her body – repairing her broken sternum, healing tissues, and replenishing blood loss. 

After extracting the nanoprobes from Seven, the Doctor sent her to regenerate – the extraction had left her body in a more weakened state than usual. She had been reluctant to leave the Captain’s side, but eventually with the promise that he would call her back at the slightest change, she agreed to leave.

With one last lingering look at the Captain, Seven of Nine was out the door. 

For the next several hours, the Doctor worked diligently on healing the Captain – interrupted only by healing Naomi Wildman’s arm. His brows furrowed in concentration as he worked healing mind and body. After the last injection of nanoprobes was entered into the Captain’s bloodstream, he waited with bated breath.

This was the moment he would know if the treatment worked.

Agonizing seconds started to stretch into minutes, and he wrung his hands anxiously. There was still no change – it seemed as if the treatment had failed.

He looked down into the face of the Captain, sorrow etched on his face, when the door to sickbay slid open. Turning he came face to face with Seven of Nine.

“I thought I told you to go regenerate?” He asked, clearing his throat.

“I regenerated for a sufficient amount of time. What is the change in the Captain’s status?” Seven asked, coming to stand next to the Doctor.

He moved with surprising agility – stopping her before she could see the Captain. Seven looked at the Doctor imperiously, her eyes willing him to move.

“Seven…” He began, but was pushed out of the way. His statement alone enough for her to understand their failure.

“This is not possible.” She said, staring down at the Captain.

“I’m sorry Seven. I gave her the last treatment five minutes ago and there hasn’t been a change. I’m sure we would have seen something by now if it worked.”

“No. There must be some error with the treatment.” She said turning to face the Doctor. “Look at your notes again. Something must have gone wrong.”

He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder which she shrugged off. “Seven…” He began, but then paused. “…I’ll give you a moment.” With that, he retreated into his office

Seven turned back to the Captain, and stared uncomprehendingly at her still form. The Doctor had healed the wounds to the Captain’s body, and had cleaned the blood away from her, but her eyes remained open – staring unseeingly at the room above her.

Seven replicated a chair and placed it next to the biobed where the Captain lay. Grasping the Captain’s hand tightly, her eyes stared intently into the Captain’s face, as if by sure force of will she could bring her back to life.

The five minutes stretched into ten, and as the time crept on, Seven started to give up hope. Lifting the Captain’s hand to her mouth, she kissed her knuckles and closed her eyes. She never got to say goodbye – it was too cruel to imagine, how would she and how would Voyager continue on without their fearless leader at the head?

Lost in thought, she was jolted back to the present by the sound of beeping. Looking at the tricorder left out on the medical table next to the Captain’s bed, Seven saw that it had carelessly been left to scan. Upon closer inspection – she saw that the tricorder was reading brain waves.

Fingers trembling, she recalibrated the device and scanned the Captain again and received the same results. Fighting to remain in control of her emotions, she stood abruptly.

“Doctor!”


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello All! Sorry for the delay in posting. This chapter gave me a little bit of trouble. I hope you like it - feedback is much appreciated!

Darkness surrounded her like a cloak – so thick and enveloping her entirely. Her mind felt foggy – as if her consciousness were trapped between waking and something other - something…permanent. She could hear muffled sounds that seemed to come from far away, and she felt something cool and metallic grasping onto her. She was not certain of where she was, only knowing that she lay in some in between place. She felt nothing other than confusion – one minute ago, it seemed, she had been somewhere almost entirely different, and the next floating in nothingness. 

But for some reason, she knew she could not stay in this in between place – the cool and metallic grasp on her body seemed almost like a tether, pulling her away from the nothingness and into somewhere else…some other plane of existence she did not yet fully understand.

Like waking up from a deep sleep, she felt as if she crawled and pulled her way from the nothing place. Each attempt to free herself from the darkness was exhausting, though she knew with each pull – each step, she came closer to the cool and metallic presence. After what seemed like years, she finally came to a place that was decidedly closer to the other than the nothingness. The muffled voices that once sounded so far away suddenly became closer – spurring her on, pulling her further away from the darkness.

_“There are brainwaves, Doctor, the treatment worked!”_

_“Seven…that cannot possibly be correct…she has been gone far too long – she would have responded by now."_

_“You do not know that. Calibrate the instrument then and double check it. I know it. I know it worked.”_

Suddenly she felt a squeeze from the cool and metallic grip – and a voice seemed even closer to her than before.

_“Captain, you must pull through this, I know you can. Death…death is not something to fear, but life without you is. You must wake up.”_

Although she could not understand the words spoken so near her being, she did understand the importance that she wake up. She needed to return to the one who spoke so determinedly in a voice rattled by grief. She had to wake up, and she would. With one more burst of strength, she burst through the final layer separating her from consciousness, and as she did so, so did some of her recollection. 

She was Captain Kathryn Janeway. She commanded the Starship Voyager. And her ship was in danger.

Janeway woke with a strangled gasp, blinking until she could finally see. Her ship was in danger, and her memories remained foggy. Her last memory that remained clear, even while surrounded by confusion, was the image of Seven’s lips and the feeling of excruciating pain. Wildly she tried to rise from what was holding her down but stopped when the face of Seven of Nine swam into her vision.

“Seven! What happened? How did you escape? What…?” she began in a whisper but cut herself off at Seven’s facial expression. Seven was looking at her so intently – as if Seven would never tire of looking at her. Her eyes roamed around the Captain, drinking in her appearance, and tears pooled in her eyes even though she tried to mask her grief with a slight smile.

“Seven?” Janeway asked uncertainly, bringing a hand up to wipe away a tear dripping down Seven’s face.

Seven responded by capturing Janeway’s hand and placing a soft and loving kiss on the palm. Janeway could only stare uncomprehendingly at the woman before her. What did she forget? What had happened to bring such an expression to Seven’s face.

“Do not leave me again,” Seven said voice brittle, yet determined. 

“What? Seven, I…” Janeway began, looking up at the deeply saddened face of Seven.

“You died, Captain. You left me…” Seven spoke looking intently at the woman on the biobed. “These are the things I no longer wish to understand.” She continued looking into Janeway’s eyes. “I do not wish to understand death as intimately as I have ever since…” She trailed off, looking at their clasped hands.

“Seven I…” but Janeway was cut off by the approaching of another figure. Still gathering her bearings, Janeway issued a warning to Seven.

“Good heavens, Seven, you were right!” Came a familiar and nasally voice. “Don’t worry, Captain," Came the voice again, as if sensing her agitation. "It’s only me – The Doctor.”

And indeed, the Doctor’s face swam into her vision as he approached.

“What’s going on?” Janeway said still somewhat confused. She did not understand why the lights were back on Voyager, where the danger had gone, or what had even happened to her.

“That will be explained soon, Captain,” The Doctor said, gently pushing her back down on the biobed. “But first, I need to run some tests. It’s honestly a miracle you’re here right now.”

Janeway was about to protest but felt a reassuring squeeze on her hand from Seven and waited patiently for The Doctor to finish his assessment. Her mind worked furiously as she lay on the biobed, trying to piece together what had happened from the bits and pieces she had gleaned from Seven and The Doctor. She had died apparently – but the memories surrounding that event remained foggy. Nor did she remember how the Cammiern were removed from Voyager. 

As if sensing her questions The Doctor laid a gentle hand on Janeway’s shoulder, halting her thoughts. “Your memories will return to you Captain, though it is not surprising that they are still somewhat foggy considering what you have been through. Physically, you’re fine – you could even leave Sickbay today, but I would like you to return for a checkup… bringing someone back from the dead is not standard medical procedure, and I need to make sure there were no harmful side-effects to your psyche.”

That all sounded reasonable to Janeway and nodded her acquiescence to The Doctor. “Of course, Doctor, but first, I need answers. I need to know what happened to my ship.”

Janeway stood slowly from the biobed, and looked at Seven curiously who was still holding tightly onto her hand. Seven met her gaze by raising her ocular implant, and Janeway had to chuckle at the sight. Shaking her head, she moved towards the doors of Sickbay.

“I think it would perhaps be best if we engaged in a site to site transport to your ready room, Captain,” Seven said looking pointedly at Janeway.

“What? How come?” Janeway asked puzzled. If the danger on the ship had somehow disappeared then…? But at the quick flash of grief that passed over Seven’s face, Janeway understood. “Of course, Seven. Good idea.”

In a haze of blue light, the two women disappeared from sickbay.

**

The bridge was decidedly subdued since Seven had transported to sickbay with the body of the Captain. Chakotay sat in his chair on the bridge, knuckles white from grabbing the padd in his hands, and had given the orders to leave the system. Taldora had given them enough grief to last the entire journey home.

He looked over at the empty seat where his best friend in the entire universe usually sat. He couldn’t bring himself to declare her actually gone, even though he saw what had happened with is own eyes. He needed to be strong for the crew, now more than ever as he could hear Harry softly crying behind him and could see Tom coughing over the lump that had formed in his throat. Even Tuvok had not remained unaffected – his normally stoic face had turned to one of granite. 

He was so…angry at the Cammiern, he wanted to destroy them – to rip them limb from limb, and leave the remains at the doorstep of Taldora Prime, but he did not know how to destroy a monster without becoming one.

He sighed and relaxed his grip slightly on the padd, as he looked out the viewscreen. He could not let go of his anger, it was the only thing that was keeping him functioning – watching one’s best friend die was not something that he could get over lightly. 

Lost in his thoughts, he almost missed the page from his communicator.

“Seven of Nine to Chakotay.”

“Chakotay here,” he said gruffly, tapping his communicator.

“I request your presence in the Captain’s ready room, Commander.”

Chakotay’s face turned to stone. He had declared the ready room off limits to all crew members, wanting to preserve what was left of the Captain. How Seven had even gotten into the ready room was beyond him, since he did not see her enter through the bridge.

With a voice hard as stone, he responded to the hail. “What are you doing in the Captain’s ready room, Seven?”

“It is an emergency, Commander. Seven out.”

Chakotay swore silently as he got to his feet. Eyes of the bridge crew trained on him.

“Do you think she’s had a nervous break?” Asked Tom from his station.

“It would be unwise to speculate before more information is available,” Came the response from Tuvok. “Would you like back up, Commander?”

Chakotay shook his head. “No…no, if she really has had a nervous break of some kind, I don’t want to scare her…if she wishes to do harm, then I’ll call you Tuvok.”

Chakotay squared his shoulders and walked towards the ready room.

**

After materializing in her ready room, Janeway looked at Seven. “I really need answers, Seven. I cannot function as the Captain without knowing them.”

Seven moved to stand directly in front of Janeway. “I know, Captain, and I will make sure you receive the answers you desire, but first…” Seven trailed off, but then enveloped Janeway in a hug.

For a moment, Janeway was stunned, but then wrapped her arms reassuringly around Seven’s back. “I’m not going anywhere, Seven,” She said soothingly.

At her words, Seven’s eyes snapped to her own. “That is a promise I demand you keep.” Seven pulled away from Janeway’s embrace, but still kept hold of her hand. “I…we will discuss this more after you have been reintroduced to the crew.”

Janeway nodded, though she missed the contact of Seven already. “I agree. We should call Chakotay.” After a rather terse conversation with the Commander, the two woman sat waiting in the ready room. After a moment, Chakotay appeared.

“Seven?” He asked softly before even making it into the room completely. “What’s going on, are you alright?”

Coming to stand in the ready room, his eyes roved over Seven to stare at the woman at her side. Tears suddenly pooled in his eyes as he took in the sight of the red haired woman. "Kathryn,” he choked out, “Is that really you?”

Janeway came forward and gave him a hug, which he returned tightly. “Yes, I’m here. It will take more than that to finish me.”

Chakotay gave a watery laugh, and looked down into the face of his best friend and smiled.

“I feel like I’m walking on cloud nine. I…I don’t even know how it’s possible you’re really here,” He exclaimed.

“The Doctor does have his uses – though I’m told that it was both his knowledge and Seven’s nanoprobes that did the job.”

Chakotay looked like he could kiss Seven at the revelation, but she quickly deterred that expression with her exclamation.

“We must reintroduce the Captain to the crew. They need to know she is well, and she needs to hear what has happened.”

Chakotay turned, confusion written on his face. “Hear what has happened? Captain, you were there.”

Janeway nodded thoughtfully. “Yes I was, unfortunately, the memories are still a bit foggy. The last thing I remember clearly…” She trailed off for a moment as a faint blush filled her cheeks. “The last thing I really remember was Seven trying to tell me something and the feeling of extreme pain. I don’t really remember the circumstances surrounding how I got into that situation, but The Doctor assures me that with time, I will remember everything.”

Chakotay nodded. “We should probably call a meeting with the senior staff before reintroducing you to the whole crew.”

With Janeway’s permission, Chakotay had called a meeting with all senior staff for the main conference room, and after a moment, the trio entered the meeting. Janeway’s presence among them was met with exclamations of confusion, joy, and even slight fear, and those present ran up to her – just to make sure that she was really there. 

Harry ran up and gave her a tight hug, and was eventually joined by Tom who gave her a tight grasp on the shoulder. 

“I can’t believe it, Captain,” Harry said somewhat in awe.

“Believe it Harry,” she replied, “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Yes ma’am!” Harry said somewhat giddily, and at her questioning look, he replied, “Crunch time, Captain.”

Janeway smiled as Tom and Harry moved aside only to be replaced by B’elanna hugging her tightly. 

“I thought I’d never see you again, Captain.” B’elanna said, tears falling silently down her face. “There was so much I wanted to tell you that I…” She trailed off as Janeway hugged her tighter and wiped the tears away.

“It’s okay, B’elanna, I know.”

Last of all to approach the Captain was Tuvok. “It seems that The Doctor was able to surprise us all, Captain.”

Janeway smiled wryly and pulled Tuvok into a hug. “It’s good to see you Tuvok.”

Tuvok pulled at the Captain, a slight smile only she could see playing on his lips. “I am…pleased to see you too.”

Sitting at the head of the table, the briefing began. The crew filled her in on her missing gaps in her memory, and slowly the events of the day began to filter into her consciousness. The Cammiern had attacked Voyager, and she had sacrificed herself to save her crew. Her senior staff continued looking at her as if she were the most beautiful and powerful thing in all the galaxy – regarding her with a kind of reverence she was not used to.

It was only after she had spent the next several hours with her senior staff and had made the announcement to the crew, that she knew she should retire to her quarters. A wave of exhaustion made her falter in her steps in the conference room, alarm ringing across the faces of her crew. 

“Captain?” Came the slightly panicked voice from all around her.

She waved away their concerns with a gesture from the hand. “I’m fine – just tired. It has been a long day for me.”

Nods came from all directions, and she felt a slight brush at her elbow. 

“May I assist you to your quarters, Captain?” Seven asked pointedly.

Janeway nodded, said her goodbyes, and left the conference room.

Entering her quarters, Janeway took a deep breath. Walking over to the replicator, she programmed in a coffee, and the delicious aroma filled her nose. Never again, she decided, would she take such simple joys for granted. Taking the first sip she looked around the room, and saw Seven was still standing near the doorway.

“Come in Seven,” Janeway said gesturing towards the open living space.

Seven, however, had different ideas and came to stand in front of Janeway. Nonplused, Janeway placed her coffee down on the table next to her.

“There is something we should discuss, Captain.”

“Alright,” Janeway said, moving to sit on the couch in her living space, Seven following close behind.

Seven grabbed her hand again and squeezed it lightly. “Captain, I have come to an interesting realization over the course of this day.”

Janeway nodded encouragingly, and Seven continued. “I do not wish to be alive in this world without you,” she said, looking intently at Janeway. “You are Omega, and without you, this universe cannot possibly have perfection.”

Janeway stared at Seven, her heart beating thunderously in her chest. So much had happened to her over the past day, fighting to save the lives of her crew, dying, being brought back to life, but this…this had to be the sweetest.

“Seven, I…” She began but trailed off, searching for a way to phrase what she needed to say.

Seven stood, a sad expression on her face. “It is alright, Captain,” she said moving towards the door.

Janeway stood with surprising speed and grabbed onto Seven’s wrist. “Seven wait!”

Seven turned slowly looking down at the Captain, and Janeway returned her unwavering gaze.

“Seven, I think you’re Omega too.”

With the exclamation from Janeway, a smile slowly slid onto Seven’s face, and she pulled Janeway closer, one hand holding Janeway’s, the other slid around the Captain’s back. “You may never leave me again.”

“I will do everything in my power to never leave you,” Janeway said, resting an arm around Seven’s neck. “And you may never leave me.”

Seven looked down at Janeway with such intensity, that Janeway thought she would burst before slowly, slowly, Seven leaned down and kissed her.


	11. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it! The End! Finally the Epilogue - thanks for sticking with me y'all. Hope you enjoy it!

It had been two months since Janeway’s death and subsequent resurrection, and in each of the days that followed that horrific event, there was always something there to remind Janeway how much her crew loved her. Invitations to just spend time with the Captain abounded, with Chakotay spending more time meeting up with Janeway for dinner to discuss the latest ships gossip and to savor each others company, B’elanna had invited Janeway for breakfast in the mess hall before their shifts several times - each time using some of her precious replicator rations to share her favorite banana pancakes with the Captain, Tom and Harry had invited Janeway to join in on Tom’s Captain Proton holodeck program, which Janeway took the time to appreciate and actually had fun, and even Tuvok had invited Janeway over to his quarters or to the arboretum to walk through the plants discussing perfectly logical topics, but Janeway knew he had missed her.

Even her duty shifts become more special, not just when Voyager passed interesting interstellar phenomena, but also when drifting serenely through the stars. Just being alive again gave her a new appreciation for everything the universe had to offer - a new desire to appreciate the little moments that peppered her days.

And her nights…those were saved for Seven. Although she had spent plenty of time with Seven having philosophical discussions into the early hours of the morning, things had changed between them following the kiss shared in her quarters nearly two months prior.

_Janeway pulled back and smiled softly at Seven, who was peering serenely down at her. Never in her wildest dreams did she think she could share this moment with the woman she loved. Though, there were a lot of things that happened today that she, never in her wildest dreams, imagined could have happened – dying and coming back to life being at the top of the list. The peaceful moment broke when Janeway suddenly averted her eyes and let out a tired yawn._

_Janeway smiled ruefully at Seven. “Guess I’m more tired than I thought, though…” She paused and squeezed Seven’s arms tightly. “I wish you didn’t have to go.”_

_“I do not_ have _to go, Captain…I could always…” Seven trailed off, suddenly looking unsure._

_“Kathryn, please, I think we’ve surpassed the formalities of you calling me Captain after kissing me in my own quarters.” Janeway said with a smirk that Seven mirrored. “Can you…sleep?” Janeway asked questioningly._

_“I can sleep, Cap…Kathryn, however I have not had much opportunity to try it in the Cargo Bay.”_

_Janeway looked pained for a moment and started to speak before Seven cut her off. “Regeneration is more efficient, and also necessary. Although I am able to sleep, it does nothing to help my bio components – sleep is necessary for you as regeneration is necessary for me. Sleeping is…something additional, though not required for my functioning.”_

_Janeway nodded thoughtfully and gave Seven’s hand a squeeze. “Would you like to stay here? To sleep I mean?” She hurriedly added. “I don’t want you to have to leave, but I am too tired to keep my eyes open for much longer.”_

_After telling Seven to give her a moment, Janeway returned from her bedroom with a pair of pajamas for Seven to borrow, indicating she could use the bathroom to change. Seven quirked her ocular implant at the gesture, and Janeway blushed slightly – not wanting to let Seven know that she knew she slept in her biosuits because she watched her regenerate sometimes. Janeway had finished changing into her own pajamas just as Seven came out of the bathroom._

_Seven seemed somewhat unsure getting into the bed, but Janeway cuddled up next to her, resting her head on Seven’s shoulder._

_“I am unsure for what the protocol is in this situation, Cap…Kathryn.”_

_Janeway chuckled sleepily. “There is no protocol, Seven, just do what makes you feel comfortable and soon you’ll fall asleep.”_

In those two months, Seven had unofficially moved into the Captain’s quarters. Seven was sure the Captain would have had more difficulty with the transition, with her being a private person in regards to her personal life, but Janeway surprised her.

_“Dying really put things in perspective, Seven. Plus, we’re actually only sleeping next to each other and spending time together…but even if we weren’t, whose business is that anyways besides ours?”_

Following a purposefully offhanded comment made by Janeway to Chakotay on the bridge, the relationship status of the Captain spread through the ship like wildfire. From that moment forward it was official to the crew – Seven and the Captain were dating. The only thing surprising about it was how long it had taken the two women to realize their feelings. Speculation, of course, spread across the ship as to when this development could have started, but it was B’elanna who for some uncanny reason was the closest to the truth.

_“I’m telling you, Tom, I’m sure it was just a single moment that knocked sense into each of them – though I’m convinced the Captain knew of her feelings long before she started acknowledging them.”_

Janeway waited absently for the last few minutes of her duty shift to finish – her mind miles away from the vastness of space projected onto the viewscreen. She had planned a surprise for Seven for after their shifts had finished, and was anxious to get back to her quarters before Seven appeared for their dinner date. In the two months they had spent together, Seven had taken to teaching Janeway to cook, and she had actually gotten slightly better at it – no longer burning meals with the frequency she used to before Seven wormed her way into her life. Janeway sat back in her chair with a slight smile twitching at her lips – the kind that always appeared whenever she thought about Seven. It was obvious to the rest of the bridge crew who the Captain was thinking about, but it just served to raise their esteem of her. As Chakotay had assured her before the Captain had decided to make it official – the crew was happy for her. Seeing her happy and actually living life on the journey home gave them more pride for their work and helped with the cohesiveness of the crew. Usually, she hated when Chakotay was right, but this time she was glad for it. 

She startled imperceptibly when she caught sight of the man in question trying and failing to hide a small smile to her left.

“Something on your mind, Chakotay?” Janeway said resting her hand on her chin to look at him.

Chakotay let out the smile he had been trying to hide. “No, nothing particularly – though it looks like you might have something on yours.”

Janeway scoffed and glared at him good naturedly. “Maybe.” She said cryptically.

The two lapsed into silence for a moment before Janeway turned to look back at him. “Do you think she’ll like it?” She asked, carefully masking the nervousness she felt in front of the bridge crew.

Chakotay, her best friend in all the world, except maybe for Tuvok, knew exactly the doubts running through her mind. He turned again to look at her, and said gently, “Trust me, she’ll love it.”

Janeway nodded and turned back at the viewscreen – willing the minutes to tick by quicker. With only ten minutes to the end of her duty shift, she decided to give up.

“Think you can handle watching the bridge for me?” She asked suddenly.

“Always, Captain,” Chakotay replied smirking again.

Janeway shoved his shoulder slightly and headed for the turbolift. The ride to her quarters was short and arrived to organized chaos in her living space – looking around for a moment, Janeway came face to face with B’elanna and two other members of the engineering team.

“Captain, I’m glad you’re here. I know you gave us some general specifications for what you wanted, but I wasn’t 100% sure about the placement. How does this look to you? We can move it if you like.”

Janeway had followed B’elanna to her bedroom and smiled at the sight that met her. “This is perfect. Thank you again for doing this – I really appreciate it,” Janeway said with a smile, clasping B’elanna’s arm.

B’elanna and the two other crew members left shortly after that, and Janeway was left alone in her quarters. She didn’t have a lot of time to get ready before Seven showed up for their dinner date, and she wanted everything to be perfect. Thirty minutes were on the clock, and Janeway set to work.

Exactly thirty minutes later, Seven of Nine appeared in the doorway to the Captain’s quarters, wearing a beautiful flowing knee length gray dress, that Janeway thought complimented her own light blue button down dress shirt and her slacks quite well.

Janeway smiled as Seven entered the room, coming up to give her a quick kiss. “You look amazing,” she said pulling back from Seven.

Seven leaned in again and gave Janeway a kiss that left her slightly breathless. “So do you, Kathryn,” She said with a slightly predatory smile.

“I’ve got a surprise for you,” Janeway said after a moment to catch her breath. “But I suppose we should have dinner first. I promise I didn’t burn anything,” She said with a laugh.

Seven nodded once and followed Janeway to the table. Dinner was not the peaceful affair it usually was when Seven came over. On more than one occasion, Janeway’s command training had failed her, leaving Seven a victory for making her blush, and the atmosphere around them electric. Seven hadn’t really grasped the art of flirtatious conversation before this dinner, opting instead for more direct manners of communication…

_“Kathryn, I wish to cease this dinner activity, and progress to kissing you.”_

…Janeway was sure the Doctor hadn’t covered this in his social lessons with Seven, suspecting instead that she had had help from a certain Helmsman. The conversation was unpredictable in an entirely different manner than their conversations usually were, and Janeway couldn’t help but enjoy it.

After dinner, the two retired to the couch in the living space – Seven eager to partake in one of her favorite activities (as she had informed Janeway before) kissing the Captain. After a while, Janeway stilled the hands that had moved to the top button on her shirt. Seven pulled back abruptly, and looked at the Captain with confusion.

“Did I do something wrong, Kathryn?” She asked somewhat uncertainly.

“Not at all,” Janeway said, slightly breathless. “Actually, you did many things right – but there’s something I want to show you…your surprise.” Janeway stood and pulled Seven up with her, linking their hands together. 

As they walked closer to the bedroom, Seven smiled mischievously at Janeway, who rolled her eyes. Opening the door, Janeway ushered her in, and stood back – biting her lip a little nervously. 

“Well? Is this okay? I know I didn’t ask, but I figured that since you were spending so much time here already…” Janeway trailed off somewhat uncertainly.

Seven turned to look at Janeway, the green light from her Borg alcove dancing across the room, and smiled widely. She came and hugged Janeway tightly. “This is one of the nicest things you could have done for me. Now, I can be closer to you.”

Janeway hugged her back. “And you’re sure you’re fine with it? I know that I didn’t ask…”

But Seven had silenced her with a searing kiss. “On other things maybe – but on this, you did not need to ask me. I have wanted this for so long, but I did not know how to ask you,” She said, giving Janeway another passionate kiss. The two women broke apart for a moment breathing hard, before Seven pulled Janeway to sit on the bed. Janeway ran her hands through Seven’s silky hair, and Seven pulled Janeway impossibly tighter. 

After a moment, Seven’s hands reached again for the button’s on Janeway’s shirt.

“Wait,” Janeway said, stilling the hands for a moment. “I don’t want…No. I do want, but it will make you… he couldn’t fix it.”

“Kathryn, I do not understand,” Seven said questioningly, hands hovering over the button. 

Janeway sighed and gave Seven a quick kiss. “I trust you,” she said nodding at Seven. 

With a slightly puzzled expression, Seven slowly unbuttoned the light blue blouse. At first she could only see the tank top Janeway wore underneath, but then her eyes locked onto the jagged scar over the Captain’s heart. Right where the Cammiern had murdered her with the wickedly sharp three pronged dagger. 

Seven raised a tentative hand and gently traced the outline of the scar, causing Janeway to flinch in surprise.

Seven’s eyes snapped to the Captain’s. “Does it hurt?”

“No. I hardly remember it’s there most of the time, but…well…with you, I just wasn’t sure. The Doctor told me how my…how it had affected you. I thought it might make you, sad I guess. I wanted to warn you,” Janeway said, turning her gaze away for a moment. 

“It reminds you that you are alive – that we brought you back, and that we now have our whole lives together. That could never make me sad.” Seven said looking intensely into the Captain’s eyes. Seven gently pulled the Captain’s chin to look at her and gave her a searing kiss – helping to divest her of the blouse entirely. 

For the two women – one formerly a Borg drone, and now an individual and one formerly murdered, and now resurrected – this night continued them on their journey to living out the rest of their lives.

The rest of their lives together.


End file.
